AUGUSTA, Maine —
Watch Gov. Janet Mills' full State of the State address
Nearly two years into a global pandemic, Gov. Janet Mills is expected to deliver her State of the State address to a joint convention of the 130th Legislature on Thursday.
On January 25, Mills' office issued a press release with details about some of her anticipated speaking points. They include challenges Maine is facing, like the impact of the pandemic, and steps she plans to take to strengthen our state's economy and improve the lives of Mainers.
The press release also indicated she would release her supplemental budget proposal in the days after the State of the State address.
In a statement, Mills said in part, "While the pandemic has presented unfathomable challenges, Maine people have persevered with characteristic resilience and fortitude. The strength of Maine people has guided us through these difficult times, and it is because of you that we have made progress."
She also added her goal is for Maine to emerge as a stronger state after the pandemic.
Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, said some of the most pressing issues right now for him are high energy costs, a shortage of workers in nursing homes, a need for property tax relief, high prescriptions drug prices, and a need to create more opportunities for existing jobs (like those in Maine's heritage industries).
Jackson said he gives Mills credit for her handling of the pandemic, even if he didn't agree with all of her decisions.
"They were decisions that she had to make, and I don't know that any of us could've done any better," Jackson said. "I don't know if any of us would've wanted to do it."
The Maine House and Senate Republican offices declined to comment directly until after the governor's address. Still, last week, Rep. Kathleen Dillingham, R-Oxford, expressed some of her frustrations on the Feb. 4 GOP Weekly Radio Address.
In that address, Dillingham said she's frustrated by higher prices for electricity, groceries, gasoline, and heating fuel. She's also frustrated by the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers. She said she wants to see improvements to Maine's rate of unemployment and the well-being of Maine children (related to both the pandemic and child welfare system).
There's currently an $822 million budget surplus at stake. Most Republicans hope it will go back to Mainers, while most Democrats would like to cover additional program costs.
"House Republicans are calling for returning the $822 million in projected revenue increases to Mainers who are being impacted by rising prices on virtually everything," Dillingham said during her radio address. "We will continue to press that Mainers be able to keep more of what they earn to allow them to invest in Maine through their spending practices rather than having government take more to expand and grow government."
"I think what would be a better solution than giving tax cuts to wealthy people, which is what Republicans always want, is to give assistance back to everyone who has to pay higher energy costs throughout the state — be it homeowners, be it renters," Jackson said.
Jackson said he expects Mills might talk about how to spend that surplus money during her State of the State address. He also said he thinks she will want to be "conservative" with how it's used.
The State of the State is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. in the House Chamber.
NEWS CENTER Maine will stream the address live on our website, YouTube, Facebook, and mobile app.
